Scrapbook JournalingScrapbook journaling is the hardest part of scrapbooking for most people, but it is really the most important piece. Think about the purpose of making those beautiful scrapbooks in the first place. Years from now they'll still be beautiful, but will anyone know who the people in the pictures are, what their thoughts and dreams were, or anything meaningful about them? Without the journaling that information will be lost forever, and your pages will be nothing more than a bunch of photographs on pretty paper.
Although the pictures tell a story, journaling completes it.
Scrapbook journaling can be as simple as the Who, What, When, and Where. At a bare minimum you'll want to record the date and who is in the pictures (we think we'll remember but, trust me, we won't!), but the story will be that much richer and have more depth if you can elaborate on some of your pages and go beyond the basics. In the example here, I had my son write down some of his favorite things about our trip to Disneyland. I love looking back at the handwriting and what he was thinking at the time!
When journaling, write as if you were speaking to a close friend.Tell them what was going on when the picture was taken. What were you thinking? What were you feeling? What happened right before the picture was taken? What happened after? What were your dreams during this time? What were your fears? Of course, all this doesn't have to be on every page, but you get the idea.While I think some scrapbook journaling should be in your own handwriting (that's just another aspect for future generations to get a sense of who you are), you can use the computer to type out some of it, too. And sometimes there might be a nice quote or poem or verse from a song that will evoke some of what you feel when you think/see the picture. Use it!
Because journaling is so important, you want to be sure the ink you use won't fade and is water resistant. Using a pen such as this Zig Archival Journaling Pen from Exposures will ensure your handwriting and stories are preserved for many years to come.
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